Portret van Honoré Vial c. 1818

This is a portrait of Honoré Vial, made by Charles Aimé Forestier. Vial’s chest bears medals, each a small sunburst of meaning. Medals, across time, have been used to signify valor and allegiance. Consider, for instance, the ancient Roman practice of awarding crowns to soldiers. These were not mere decorations but potent symbols of power and status. Similarly, medieval knights bore heraldic crests, visually declaring their lineage, loyalty, and personal history. The act of bestowing a medal is more than ceremonial; it is a ritual that weaves the recipient into a historical narrative of heroism. In a way, the symbols are an extension of the self, externalizing inner virtues and stories for public display. The weight of these emblems is both literal and metaphorical, shaping not only personal identity but also collective memory. They reappear, transformed and recontextualized, across epochs, proving that even in a secular age, we continue to seek visual affirmations of meaning.